The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

MAXIMILIAN A PRISONER. (BY ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.) NEW YORK, May 27.. Advices from Mexico. published in the New York journals announce positively the capture of Queretaro by the Liberals on May 15. Maximilian, Mejia, and Stira- mon are prisoners.

ITALY. FLORENCE, May 22, Evening. The Governments represented at the London Con- ference have congratulated the Italian Government upon its attitude during the negotiation, thanking Italy for her services in the cause of peace. The finance committee of the Chamber of Deputies upon the Ecclesiastical Property Bill, require the communication of the conven- tion now under negotiation with the bankers, before making their report. Si

r TO-W-N rr _A_ Tj I-C. BY OUB SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. Qv/r ttaders will, understand that we do not hold owrselve3 roapn. gala for our able Correspondent's opmiaru. THE ezpirirg or expired May, which meteoro- ¡ logists assure us was the coldest which has been experienced this century, performed its chief i exploits at Buckingham and in the towns about, I extending as far as Winslow. I have been over the scene of the ravages, and can testify to the surprising character of the frozen descent. The amount of glass broken in the residence of Mr. Hubbard, M.P., is estimated at upwards of .£400. Small nurserymen were nearly ruined. The hail- stones which fell at Winslow were, many of them, larger than an egg. Children screamed and women were alarmed at the sudden crash of glass which occurred in every room. The SuOim at Buckingham was preceded by masses of unusual-looking, dark and yellow clouds, fore- boding something strange-a sort of Pompeian sky it looked. A deluge of rain came first, and then a shower of hail balls, which broke through the windows and rolled across the drawing-rooms or kitchens: and hail balls lay in heaps in the road, in parts, until the middle of next day before they dissolved. Glaziers in sufficient numbers could not be obtained from surrounding villages or adjacent towns, and workmen had to be sent for from London. The work of repairing broken windows is not yet completed, and in the poorer cottages around Buckingham repairing is not yet attempted, as the occupiers cannot pay the expense, and the local newsvendors' shops appear to have been stripped of back stock of penny papers to patch up the windows with. The small casement windows have a moat piebald or rather paper-bald appearance; every window in every house in whole streets are patched profusely some windows are all paper. It would be well if some charitable persons would lend these poor persons a glazier, as they must suffer from the cold and wet of the inclement nights they have had. This strange storm has had little attention paid to it, and as nothing like it was ever known to occur in these parts before, I have thought it due to so respectable a display of hail to ascertain and chronicle its proceedings. Any one can imagine the consternation of sleepy, peaceable, easy- going inhabitants being suddenly awakened by the crash of glass in every house, within sight or hearing, as though all the Fenians in Ireland had came down in the rain, and were pouring a volley of bullets through the windows. Some said it was "a judgment" because the agricultural labourers had struck for higher wages; others, because the farmers would not give them the rise demanded; others thought it "a judgment" be- cause Mr. Disraeli, the right hon. member for Bucks, had accepted Mr. Hodgkinson's amend- ment. There may well be conjectures as to the cause of such an anti-glass occurrence. Had such a storm happened in London, all the glaziers in England would not have repaired the mischief in three months. Now that I am Bucks-ward, I may as well re- mark, that of the sixty labourers who lately came out on strike at Gawcott and Hillesden—the first agricultural labourers who have done so-all save one has left the Bucks districts and gone north- wards and southwards, where higher wages have been offered them. Upwards of X100 was sub- scribed by the public, through the London and other papers, Newcastle-on-Tyne aiding, to enable the men to move away. The whole business has been well managed by Mr. Baker, treasurer, and Mr. Biss, secretary, one a respectable workman, and the latter a tea-dealer, of known integrity in Buckingham. This judicious thinning of the labour market has led to a rise of wages for all labourers remaining. An advertisement would appear in a Buckingham paper, saying simply— John Bies has applications for labourers at 15a. and upwards." Nothing more. This was all the machinery of the Gawcott exodus. The number of houses left vacant by the men and their families being so largely extracted, give to Gawcott the look of a "deserted village," of which another Goldsmith might write a new and instructive poem. THE domestic habits of the Standard-the chief Conservative London daily newspaper are unique and consolatory, and would have done the heart good of steady-going Mr. Brotherton, the member for Salford, who used to move every Session that the House of Commons do shut up at twelve o'clock each night. The Standard staff are far more domesticated than that. On the morning after the Government obtained its famous majority of 66, the Standard appeared without an allusion of any kind to it in its leaders. Early in the evening before, the coming victory must have been well known to the Tory whips. It shows very early habits of retiring (though the Standard has not by any means retiring habits) not to have heard of the intentions of the Sixty-six." But a few nights ago, when Mr. Hodgkinson's memorable amendment was brought forward and accepted, a notice appeared next day in the Standard denoun- cing it, and urging the duty of voting'against it. As the amendment was accepted by the Govern- ment by half-past seven o'clock, the Standard staff must have been in bed and tucked up before eight. Let not country cousins talk any more of the late hours of Londoners. When newspaper editors go to bed at tea-time, their early habits must be satisfactory. IN these days of incessant transit, when half the human race are found in steam-boats and on rail- ways, a great London exhibition is sure to be seen by dwellers in the provinces as well as "in town," and therefore what is to be seen in London con- cerns almost everybody. The lovers of old pic- tures by old masters, or famous pictures by modern masters, will do well to look in at the British Insti- tution, Pall-mall. The British Institution is open again. It was said last year that the lease was out, and its doors would be closed, after being open nearly a hundred years-ever since the days of the famous Alderman Boydell, the greatest alder- man ever connected with the fine arts. But the British Institution, like the "compound house- holder," is always turning np again. It has been opened with three or four exhibitions since it has been closed-as an Irishman would-say. It is full again with a collection of the old kind of pictures familiar to its walls-great paintings of a former date, lent by wealthy possessors of them, that artists inay profit by seeing them, and the public enjoy them, if they choose, for a season. Those j who stroll into the Royal Academy should not forget the sculpture cellars, if only to see W oolner's wonderful bust of Father Newman, whose cor- i rugated face is without a compeer. I ONE whose name never transpires, a woman J whose information is as wide as Miss Martineau's, j and whose pen ia as trenchant as that of Junius, I has stepped into the arena with an essay on the "Social and Political Dependence of Women." f Those who read it will soon recognise in it the I most daring and original book which has yet appeared about women's rights, and in its brilliant style and nervous vigour see the pen which wrote the celebrated "Letters of an Englishman" on French affairs in 1853—understood at the time to proceed from Mrs. Grote, the wife of the eminent historian of Greece. MR. HOOKHAM, a great purveyor of books of the last generation, the well-known librarian of Bond-street, is dead. He had reached a great age. The Old Library in Bond-street was the Mecca of literary men half a century ago. It was in the front room over this library that Shelley came to lodge, and he used to walk about Bond- street eating new rolls, buying glasses of new milk at the dairies, and composing those poems which have caused him to be talked about ever since. LORD ROBERT MONTAGU has been to Paris to see what has become of the English money spent at the Exhibition. He and the D uke of Buckin gham, whom Lord -Robert accompanied, found money being squandered in a manner they could not sanction. But," added Lord Robert, in Parlia- ment, for this unnecessary profusion, we do not attach blame to anybody in particular." I should like to ask how long John Bull is going to sanction" this fatuity which finds a fault, and does not or dares not find out who is to blame. z.

SUMMARY OF PASSING EVENTS. THE Queen's forty-eighth birthday was officially celebrated on Saturday in London, Windsor, and other Royal residences. The actual natal day was thedaypreceding this, her Majesty having been born on the 24th of May, 1819. The usual state and military dinners took place in the metropolis, and the West-end tradesmen exhibited their customary indications of loyalty. The illuminations were singularly tasteful and brilliant. THE mail steamer Persia has arrived from New York, and brings particulars of ex-President Davis's release from prison, and his appearance before the district court of Richmond. The attorney for the prisoner announced that the Government did not intend to prosecute the trial during the present term, and Mr. Davis was bailed to appear on the 25th of November next in the sum of 100,000 dollars. Mr. Horace Greely was one out of ten persons who gave the necessary bail. Mr. Davis was greeted very warmly by his friends, and it is said even the negroes entered into the enthusiasm of the moment, and shook hands with the ex-President on his road from the court to his hotel. Mr. Davis has joined his wife and family in Canada, where during his incarcera- tion they resided, the children being sent to the best schools in the colony. THE condition of the Southern States is said to be lamentable, and riots have occurred in several districts. There is no work doing, and the negroes are said to be starving. An influential deputation from the National Freedmen's Aid Society waited upon Lord Derby the other day, as chairman of the Central Committee for the Relief of Distress in the cotton districts, to ask that the surplus funds at the disposal of the committee might be sent to the Southern States of America to relieve the distress there. Lord Derby listened attentively, and promised to give the matter his best consideration; but pointed out that he was but one member of the committee, that there were other applications for the surplus funds, and that the majority of the committee might not think the request then made was one with which they ought to comply. The deputa- tions represented contributions to the fund from Birmingham, Dublin, Belfast, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Leicester, Leeds, and many other large towns. Mr. Allbright, the secretary, read an address setting forth the present position of the negro population, and stated the various grounds on which it was expedient and just that the surplus should be applied as the deputation desired. FOR the moment all is quiet on the Continent of Europe, and there is an absence of political news from Paris. That gay capital is alive with Royal receptions, state dinners, balls, &c. The Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia have just arrived, and have been received by the Emperor of the French with all the honours of Royalty. Their Royal Highnesses have dined at the Tuileries, and are apparently on the most friendly terms with the French Royal family. Queen Victoria's birthday was not forgotten in Paris—a dinner was given at the English Em- bassy, at which the Duke of Edinburgh was present, and right loyally was her Majesty's health received, as well by foreigners as by Englishmen. THE only foreign matter which is of much im- portance to us is the intelligence recently received that certain Englishmen were still captives in Abyssinia, seized unlawfully by King Theodorus. The prisoners, we are told, are kept in chains in the fort of Magdala, and there appears no chance of their being liberated except a British force can I reach them, or a handsome ransom be given for their release; but the difficulty is to reach the prisoners, as the country is almost unknown, and I' is filled with native bandits. As far as home politics are concerned the new Reform Bill by slow degrees is passing through committee; the Government, to expedite the matter, have ordered that there shall be morning sittings on every Tuesday and Friday, commencing at two o'clock and closing at seven o'clock, when the Reform Bill alone is to be discussed, by which means it is hoped that before the end of June the bill may be passed into the Lords, and receive the Royal Assent in July. One more concession has been made by the Government-viz., that the original proposition of X15 for the county be re- duced to .£12. and the compound householder has ? been buried for ever, so that the Reform Bill now before Parliament is virtually "Household Suf- frage." IT has beea Notified that Mr. Bradlaugh, who has long been connected with the Reform League, and is known to entertain extreme views on re- ligion, has resigned his position as one of the vice- presidents of that society. He does so, he states, in order that the League may not any longer be taunted with its irreligion, and that some of its friends may not be pained by having their names associated with his own. He states, however, that he will always be friendly to the society, and if ever his "poor support" should again be of any value, he will be ready to give it. GREAT exertions were made to save the life of Burke, the Fenian who was sentenced to be hung in Dublin on Wednesday. On Saturday upwards of one hundred members of Parliament petitioned Lord Derby to take the condemned man's case into consideration, and adyise her Majesty to reprieve him. At first his lordship held out little hope, but it was intimated that if the petition was not acceded to, these hundred members, with probably some additional numbers, would in a body proceed by speeial train to Balmoral, and petition the Queen in person. To the gratification of most people, however, it was announced in both Houses of Parliament, on Monday, that Burke was reprieved. WHAT becomes of the soldiers' widows who re- ceive no pension or allowance from the Govern- ment, and are left unprovided for? The only assistance given to them that we know of is by that very excellent institution, the Cambridge Asylum for Soldiers' Widows." Sir John Pakington pre- sided over the annual meeting of this charity on Saturday, and the report showed that the total income for the past year was Y,1,893, of which only.2630 comes in the form of annual subscrip- tions, and zC293 as donations, and yet the service which has been rendered to many poor creatures has been enormous. Sir J. Pakington made a strong appeal for further assistance, which we should be very glad to see responded to. WE are sorry to find the cattle plague has not quite left England. Many cases have oecurred in the metropolis; eight in the Tower Hamlets, and twenty-five in Finsbury during one week, and, of course, all horned cattle are forbidden to be driven through the streets of London. In Shropshire there have been some cases reported, and a special meet- ing of the Privy Council was called for on Satur- day to forbid the sale of cattle in Wellington market. THE strike among the tailors in Loudon is still going on. A meeting of the masters was held in London on Saturday, when a resolution was passed expressive of entire approval of the course adopted by the committee of the Masters' Asso- ciation, in which they decline to submit to the demands of the men. A second resolu- tion was passed, in which the meeting expressed its opinion that the present difficulty between master tailors and the journeymen had been caused by the interference and agitation of the leaders of the trades' unions, and not from any dissatisfac- tion among the general body of workmen; and, in order to avoid the inconvenience arising from a periodical repetition of the same, pledged itself to resist all such interference by every means in their power. THE fourth annual Horse Show, held in the London Agricultural-hall, has been a great success, under the able management of Mr. Sidney, the secretary, and the directors. Every stall was filled with valuable animals, and the award of prizes gave general satisfaction. Every day the great hall was crowded with visitors of both sexes, who thoroughly enjoyed the fencing and exercising of the horses in the arena.

CELEBRATION OF HER MAJESTY'S BIRTHDAY. The 48th anniversary of the birth of her Majesty was celebrated on Saturday with the customary-rejoicings throughout the metropolis. The event was marked by the firing of the Tower guns, the exhibition of the National Standard upon the several public buildings, the ringing of merry peals of bells in the City and the provinces, and a general illumination at the West-end, not only on the part of her Majesty's tradesmen, but in that of most of the extensive establishments, the club- houses, and other important places of resort for public amusement. At the public offices there was an entire holiday, as far as possible, in the Government departments, and a total cessation from business had taken place in the money market, &c. Saturday, also, was the 21st birthday of her Royal Highness the Princess Christian (Helena Augusta Victoria), the third daughter of the Queen. On Friday the anniversary of the birth of her Majesty was celebrated with the greatest rejoicing at Windsor. At eight o'clock in the morning, and at intervals throughout the day, the bells of the Chapel Royal of St. George, and the parish church of St. John, New Windsor, pealed merrily, while at one o'clock a royal salute of 21 guns was fired in the Long Walk, Windsor- park, by the town bombardier. Similar salutes were also fired from the Royal Adelaide frigate and Fort Belvidere at Virginia Water. The principal streets of the town were gay with flags. In the evening, at six o'clock, a public dinner took place at the White Hart Hotel, under the presidency of the mayor (Mr. F. K. Copeland) the guests included the chief members of the corporation and their friends.

SUICIDE AT CHAR-TNG- CR OSS RAILWAY STATION. On Friday afternoon the door of a closet at the Charing-cross Railway station was observed to be fastened from the inside for an unusually long time. Some of the officials, failing to get a response to repeated knocking, forced open the door, when a young gentle- man was seen sitting full dressed on the closet. He was removed to Charing-cross Hospital, where it was judged that he was suffering from the effects of poison, and the stomach-pump was used. An extraordinary quantity of laudanum was brought away, and the usual restoratives were then employed, but despite all efforts death ensued at two o'clock on Sunday morning. On searching the pockets of the deceased four empty bottles were found, all labelled "Laudanum—poison," one only bearing the name of the vendor, a surgeon in Fleet- street. Racing and betting tickets were also found on him. The body has been identified; a most affecting scene with the parents was the result. It appears that the deceased had written home saying that he intended to commit suicide, and as he did not return at his usual hour search was made for him, under the fear that he had put his threat into execution. Firstly, two yoting gentlemen called at the hospital, and subsequently the unhappy father and mother, both of whom were so deeply affected, particularly the mother, that all present were greatly moved.

A MAGNIFICENT WEDDING is soon to take place in New York, to which there are 2,500 invitations to I the church, and 1,000 less to the house. The bride-elect is a belle, and the groom a Major-General. In consequence of the Reduction in Duty, Homirnan's Teas are supplied by the s EIGHTPEXCB per lb. cheaper Genuine Packets are signed HsHuman & Co., London."

<- FRANCE. J'!1'IJ¡'?t. jhi. PAMS, Tuesday" Evening. All the London papers contain a telegram stating that the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh at- tended the Chantilly races on Sunday. This is a serious mistake. It is quite, certain that the Prince of Wales told the Marquis de Lagrange at the Jocky Club that, after having taken the Queen's instructions on the subject by telegraph, he was advised that it would not be desirable, although he was on a visit in France,, that he should so far depart from English customs as to be present at races on a Sunday. The foundation for the incorrect report is probably this:-The Duchess de Tremouille, who lives in the Chateau de Chantilly, asked the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh to breakfast with her on Sunday morning, to meet the Marquis and Marquise de Galliffet and a distinguished party. The Princes accepted this invitation, a special tram waiting for them the while at the Creil station. It is quite possible that the Princes, while smoking a cigar after breakfast, may have seen something of the races from a balcony in the chateau; but there is no harm, even according to the most rigorous English usages, in looking out of a window on a Sunday. V i O

PRUSSIA. BERLIN, May 22. The departure of the Crown Prince for Paris is definitively fixed for to-morrow evening, the sore throat under which he was suffering having now disappeared. To-day M. Heer presented his letters of credit as new minister of the Swiss Republic at this court. BERLIN, May 22, Evening. The exchange of the ratifications of the treaty ne- gotiated at the London Conference will probably take place to-morrow. The statements which have been published relative to the date of the departure of the King for Paris are premature. The day will not be fixed. until next week.

SPAIN. MADRID, May 22. In to-day's sitting of Congress Deputy Nongues made- a speech in support of a motion which has been brought forward, proposing that military courts-martial shall in future be precluded from passing sentence of death without having first-consulted the Government. MADRID, May 25. The report of the general committee on the budget was read in to-day's sitting of the Congress. It almost entirely agrees with the project presented by the Minister of Finance. The debate will commence on Monday. The Oorrespondencia of to-day states that the Govern- ment has announced to the committee on the budget that they will very shortly introduce a bill relating to the public debt. '11 ,I"

■ CHINA. SHANGHAE, April 9. The Nienfei have appeared in great numbers north of the Tangtze, and have captured and burned several villages. It is reported that the American gunboat Aspenlot haM bombarded a place in Formoso, where the crew of the American ship Rover are supposed to have been murdered. A great fire has occurred at Pekin. Advices from Japan state that the French admiral had returned to Yokohama from his visit to Osaca. The Japanese showed him great courtesy. The troops who were intended to act against Prince Choishu have been disbanded.

AMERICA. NEW YORK, May 15. Mr. Davis arrived at Richmond on Saturday after- noon. He was taken to Spotteswood Hotel, where he was visited by numbers of friends on Saturday evening and Sunday. On Monday morning General Burton produced Mr. Davis at the Circuit Court before Judge Underwood. District Attorney Chandler announced that the Government did notYintend to prosecute his trial at the present term court. Counsel then, on behalf of Mr. Davis, asked that, in view of the long imprison- ment and delicate health of the prisoner, he be admitted to bail. The counsel for the Government not opposing, ■ Judge Underwood fixed the bail at 100,000 dols., half of which to be furnished by residents in Virginia. The bail bond, -^hich requires Mr. Davis to appear before the court on the 25th of November next, was signed by Mr. Horace Greely, Mr. Augustus Schell, General Jackman, and 10 others. Mr. Davis was then discharged from custody, and was vociferously cheered in court and-dn his way back to the hotel. A number of negroes shook hands- with him. In the evening Mr. Davis and his wife embarked on board of a steamer for New York en route ?ta>isit hisjcjii|dreii?at school in-Canada The Supreme Court has dismissed the Georgia Injunc- J tioncnasefon.Want of jurisdiction. The Mississippi peti- is still. under 'advisement, having been so amended as to..represent the State funds of Arkansas to be in danger through the action of General Ord. It is believed that the' amendment brings the case within the jurisdic- tion of the court. Soriid negroes at Richmond on Saturday rescued a drunken negro prisoner from the police. Four of the latter were badly beaten. A company of national troops finally dispersed the rioters, and arrested 18 of them. General Schofield has disbanded a company of negro cavalry, and prohibited their future drilL Mr. Kelley, a member of Congress, while addressing a meeting at Mobile last evening, was mobbed, and nar- rowly escaped death from pistol-shots. The meeting was broken up. Several persons were shot, and three are reported to have been killed. The police quelled the riot, and a force of national troops subsequently '■ .guarded the streets. The accounts of the origin of the riot are conflicting, some of them asserting that it was preconcerted by rebels. Another account states that Mr. Kelley used incendiary language, and defied the crowd, and that the majority of the shots were fired by negroes, most of whom present were armed. The report of the murder of two Union soldiers at Edgfield, South Carolina, proves to have been false, A Radical meeting held at Brownsville, Tennessee, on Monday last, was dispersed by the mob. Five persons were shot. The negroes at New Orleans, after attending an ovation to Congressman Kelley, took possession of a street car, driving out the white occupants. It is reported that the Canadian Government has received information of an intended Fenian raid. The iron ram Dunderberg has been sold to the French Government by the builder, for 3,000,000 dols. The New York journals publish news from Vera Cruz, dated the 1st instant, according to which that city was closely besieged by the Liberals. The Emperor Maximilian was at Queretaro on the 18th April. On the 6th Gomez still held Tampico, and repudiated the authority of Juarez. Juarez has ordered the suspension of Tampico as a port of entry. (BY ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.) NEW YORK, May 23. The Fenians are preparing a new invasion of Canada. Troops are being concentrated on the frontier. j-

INDIA. BOMBAY, May 4. The committee appointed to consider the reconstruc- tion of the Bank of Bombay have submitted their scheme to the shareholders for approval. A public deputation is to wait upon the Governor on May 6, to ascertain what support the Government will give to the New Bank. of Bombay. The Royal. Bank of India is to be wound up voluntarily. Lieutenant John Keith, R.A., has been killed by a tiger while out shooting in the central pro- vinces. Three directors of the Broach Bank have been sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment, and a fine of 1,000 each, for fraudulently appropriating the funds of the Bank. Business is more animated and public health continues satisfactory.

— -o VISITATION OF THE DIOCESE OF LONDON.— On Monday morning the Venerable John Sinclair, M.A., Archdeacon of Middlesex, held a visitation of that part of the diocese of London which is within his jurisdiction at the parish church of St. Paul, Co vent-garden. After the close of the ordinary business, prayers were read (a very large number of the clergy being present), and the Archdeacon proceeded to the delivery of his charge. A LECTURER MOBBED.—The agent of the Protestant Electoral Union, William Murphy, whose lectures against Romanism have recently occasioned disturbances in the West Midlands, was rather roughly handled in Wolverhampton, on Monday. The decision of'the magistrates ordering the burning of The Confes- sional Unmasked" as an obscene book was being ap- pealed against before the borough coroner, and Murphy was leaving the court without police protection. He was at once identified by a number of Irishmen of the lower class. These surrounded him directly he got clear of the Police-court, first jostled, and then struck him in the face with their fists. A policeman got amongst them, beat back the assailants, and took Murphy under his protection. The mob followed, and several rushes were made, one of the Irishmen drawing a knife and attempting to stab Murphy but another officer came up, and Murphy found refuge in a public-house. The mob continued to hoot and yell outside until they were driven off by the police. John GOllneU and CO.'II Cherry Tooth JPustn pricd ls. (d jP^'dedl) the best preparation for cleansing and preserving the teeth Kola bj all perfumers and chemist* 93. Upper Thames-street London Colds, Influenza, Coughs, Asthma, Consumption, and all Disorders of the Breath, Throat, and Lungs, are immediately relieved by DB. Lococirs PULMONIC WAFEBS. They have a most agreeable taste, and may be procured of all druggists.